Cloudy Tank

[N4T4SH45]

Hi, I am new to this site. We have just purchased a new tank at the weekend and have prepared everything and treated the water, so just waiting now to get the tropicla fish. However the day after setting up the tank, the water has become cloudy. Why is this, what are we doing wrong??


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[xander_chookeypud]

I take it you cleaned the gravel thoroughly?

 

[Blade118]

YEP I AGREE U DIDT CLEAN THE GRAVEL DID YOU

(I CLEANED MINE IN WATER AND I LEFT IT THERE FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS)

 

[N4T4SH45]

When my partner set the tank up he said that the bag of gravel had stated washed gravel.... should he still have washed it thoroughly?

 

[Blade118]

you are ment to clean gravel or there will be dirt still in there and the same prob (cloudy water will happen)


what i think you sould do is start from scratch




Howbigs your tank

 

[N4T4SH45]

We thought we might have to start again...... ( Oh well we learn by mistakes!! Our tank is just over a metre long.....

 

[Blade118]

yea yea you know about the water cycle dont u

 

[Blade118]

how many gallons is your tank and how many fish and what kind are you planning to get

 

[N4T4SH45]

yeah we had free samples of the water treatment etc with the tank, so we did as it said on the bottle etc..... the tank holds 126L of water.

We are not too sure what fish we are having at the mo, apart from we would like some neons.... (whatever they are called!!!)

Luckily the guy in the shop advised us not to buy any fish until the water cycle had taken place and that we have to take a sample of water into the shop for them to test etc etc.

How long does the water cycle take... they guy said about 7 days?

~

 

[Blade118]

yes BUT to be on the safe side i waited for about 2 weeks up to you tho




ahhhhhhhh
u mean neon tatras

 

[N4T4SH45]

Yes thats the ones.... they sort of glow!

There are a few others we have seen but cant remember the names of right now, but obviously we will have to make sure that they will all get on well in the same tank!!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Blade118]

They all do but amke sure YOU BUY at least 6 off them they go in groups

 

[xander_chookeypud]

It will be a good idea to research the fish you are interested in first before buying them. I have never kept neon tetras so i dont know much about them however, asking about them on here or searching on net will give you a good idea.

Yes there are different opinions regarding cycling, it is entirely up to you though.

A water testing kit is a good thing to have...

 

[scuba_jez]

A water testing kit is a good thing to have...

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a water testing kit is essential!! they should be made compulsory with all tropical fish sold.

i found this out by killing 5 fish not pretty.


please do yourself a favour and dont listen to the people in the fish shop who say "A pH kit is enough". They dont know about the cycling process. I was told by one shop that a pH test kit would be fine and not to do any water changes for two weeks pesky pet shop. five fish later (please dont ask) I have ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite test kits... also be weary about the ammonia content of your tap water. mine in 0.6 ppm which meant i had to do a fishless cycle.

and dont listen to 16 yr old kids in shops, they are pesky too...

appologies for my gripe - just a friendly warning

 

[xander_chookeypud]

And you are right as well... I have had bad experiences from 16 yr old kids in shops, however my experience involved giving me 2 male a female guppy when i asked for 3 females Couldnt believe he couldnt tell the difference- i found out at home he was wrong after trusting him

Yeh sorry I didnt put enough emphasis on its essential...ness?! I have tests for each of those, but luckily there isnt as much ammonia in my tap water.